Locking devices for tubular lamps



June 23, 1942; R. M. RUNGE LOCKING DEVICES FOR TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Jan. 15, 1941' INVENTOR 50mm 1% film/6:

ATTORNEY test:haematit Patented June 23, 1942 LOCKING DEVICES FOR TUBULAR LAMPS Richard M. Runge, Meriden, Conn., assignor to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 15, 1941, Serial No. 374,449

8 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) The present invention relates to locking devices for tubular lamps.

Tubular lamps such as fluorescent lamps now in common use are provided with two parallel In Figures 1, 2 and 3 a typical fluorescent lamp socket is indicated at I0. It is adapted to be fixedly secured to a strap or other support II by a screw indicated at I2. A similar fluorescent lamp pin terminals at the ends spaced standard clis- 5 socket usually provided with a starter-is mounted tances apart and the pin terminals on the lamp at the proper distance from the one indicated in are brought into engagement with corresponding the drawing, and a fluorescent lamp I3 is refixed terminals on lamp sockets spaced apart so ceived between these sockets. The lamp has pin that the lamp can be passed between the sockterminals I4, I4 at its opposite ends. ets. These lamp sockets are usually mounted in In the form of construction here illustrated the a pendent position and the lamps inserted from socket has two spring contacts I5, I5 and is prounderneath so that gravity cannot be relied upon vided with a straight passageway l6 through in holding the lamps in place. Should the lamps which the two pins I4, I4 may be inserted. The for any reason twist or turn out of their normal socket has arcuate passageways I1, I? communiworking position in such a way as to permit sep- [5 eating with the entrance passageway I6 and the aration from the contacts there is the possibility passageways and contacts are so located that of the lamp loosening or dropping out from the when the two terminals I4, I4 of the lamp are socket. inserted into the straight passageway as far as The present invention contemplates lamp they will go and the lamp is given a turn of 90, locking devices which can be readily inserted the pin terminals on the lamp traverse the arinto place after the lamp has been placed in the cuate passageways and engage and spread the socket, and these devices are then held in a fixed contacts. These contacts are shaped so as to grip position such that the lamp cannot be twisted he t rmina nd pr vid pr p ri l conout of place an amount sufiicient to loosen the tact. The shape of th e Contacts and their engrip on the contacts or to release the lamp. The e s m nt w h h pin terminals on the p h lamp locking devices contemplated are small, inheretofore been relied upon as the means of holdconspicuous devices, do not impair the efficiency ing the lamp in the socket. of the lamp in any way and require no change As fluorescent fixtures are mounted in locawhatever in the lamp. In one of theformations tions subject to vibration there is the possib y of construction to be described no .change is ret t ov p s W Creep ong the spr n quired in the conventional lamp socket, while in contacts so that they gradually approach the the other form of construction a slight change is Straight p s y, n When this Occurs it indicated. takes place at both ends of the lamp so that there The accompanying drawing shows, for puris the possibility of the lamp falling out Of the poses of illustrating the present invention, two of socket. To overcome this difficulty a lamp lockthe many embodiments in which the invention ing device L iS p d- AS Shown in Figures 1 may take form, it being understood that the to 4 this p locking device employs a Spring drawing is illustrative of the invention rather l p. pr ra ly ad up of w p s of sp than limiting the same. metal indicated at I8, I8, secured to a plunger in In the drawing: the form of a piece of fiber or other insulating Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fluomaterial I9. These clips are of the right size to rescent lamp carried in a typical lamp socket and yieldingly grip the metal customarily used on the provided with a lamp locking device carried by end of the fluorescent lamp. Different sized clips the lamp; will be used with different sized lamps. The in- Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the +5 sulating plate or plunger N is fiset f these l ne of F g 1 i parts broken away to metal clips an amount to permit it to enter the w mter P construe? the Socket; straight passageway I6 as illustrated in the z i fi g ii elevatlonal taken from the drawing. When it is in place, as shown, the device is readily held on the lamp by the spring g if g' gg gi of the cup w clip and the insulator closes ofi the straight pas- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustratg so h It is impojssible for the lamp to mg a modified form of clip; and twist out of its normal position an amount sufiipigure 6 is a Section on the li of cient to permit its removal. One of these devices re 5, is sufiicient for each lamp, but, if desired, one

may be used on each end. When a lamp is to be removed the clip is readily withdrawn.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the socket 20 is the same as the socket in, except that the molded body from which it is made is provided with recesses 2|, 2| on the side. The clip 22 is of a size to grip the sides of the socket and its ends are bent in, as indicated at 23, 23, to enter the recesses 2|. A fiber plunger 24 is carried by the metal clip and enters the straight passageway in the same way as the plunger 19.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a tubular lamp having parallel t erminals at an end thereof, a supporting socket having a single straight passageway through which the two terminals may be inserted or removed, arcuate passageways on opposite sides of the straight passageway through which the terminals may be turned, and spring contacts to engage the terminals when turned from the entrance position and normally hold the lamp in the socket, a plunger insertible into the straight passageway after the insertion of the lamp terminals and extending across the first intersection of the straight and arcuate passageways to prevent tin'ning of the lamp sufliciently to permit its removal, and means to removably hold the plunger in place.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger is of insulating material and extends across both intersections.

3. In combination, a tubular lamp having parallel terminals at an end thereof, a supporting socket having a single straight passageway through which the two terminals may be inserted or removed, arcuate passageways on opposite sides of the straight passageway through which the terminals may be turned, and spring contacts to engage the terminals when turned from the entrance position and normally hold the lamp in the socket, a plunger insertible into the straight passageway after the insertion of the lamp terminals and extending across the first intersection of the straight and arcuate passageways to prevent turning of the lamp sufficiently to permit its removal, and a spring clip ha. i... 4

detachably secured to the lamp and carrying the plunger.

4. In combination, a tubular lamp having parallel terminals at an end thereof, a supporting socket having a single straight passageway through which the two terminals may be inserted or removed, arcuate passageways on opposite sides of the straight passageway through which the terminals may be turned, and spring contacts to engage the terminals when turned from the entrance position and normally hold the lamp in the socket, a plunger insertible into the straight passageway after the insertion of the lamp terminals and extending across the first intersection of the straight and arcuate passageways to prevent turning of the lamp sufficiently to permit its removal, and a spring clip detachably secured to the socket and carrying the plunger.

5. The combination with a tubular lamp having a pair of parallel terminals at the end, of a spring clip engaging the end of the lamp and carrying a thin insulating member extending between the terminals and terminating beyond the lamp axis at a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the terminals from the lamp axis.

6. A lamp locking device comprising a spring clip engagable with the end of a tubular lamp and an insulating plunger secured to the clip and extending radially inwardly at least to the clip axis, the plunger being disposed laterally of the clip.

7. The combination with a fluorescent lamp socket having an insulating body provided with a straight entrance passageway, two arcuate passageways on opposite sides of the entrance passageway and connecting with it at their ends, spring contacts in the arcuate pasageways of an insulating plunger insertible into the entrance passageway for its entire length, and means for removably holding the plunger in place.

8. A device for locking the end of a tubular,

lamp having two parallel pin terminals into a lamp socket having cooperative contacts engageable and disengageable by lateral and angular movement about the lamp axis, comprising a laterally removable and replaceable spring clip adapted to grip the end of the lamp, and an insulating plunger disposed radially of the clip axis and laterally of the clip to pass by the end wall of the lamp and between interengaged terminals.

RICHARD M. RUN GE. 

